Christa McAuliffe was a civilian mission specialist aboard the
Challenger Space Shuttle and died with the rest of the seven
member crew when Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch on
January 28, 1986.

Biography

Christa McAuliffe was born Sharon Christa Corrigan on September 2,
1948 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. McAuliffe was the oldest of
five children of Edward and Grace George Corrigan.

Christa McAuliffe graduated from Framington State College,
Massachusetts, in 1970 with a degree in history. A dedicated
junior high school teacher (she taught history, social studies and
civics), Christa McAuliffe was also a volunteer with her church, a
Girl Scout Leader and a hospital and YMCA fundraiser.

1982-1985 Concord High School, Concord, New Hampshire. Teacher.
Courses in economics, law, American history, and a course she
developed entitled “The American Woman,” 10th, 11th, and 12th
grade.

NASA Teacher in Space Project

On August 27, 1984 President Reagan announced that a teacher would
be chosen as the first US Private Citizen in Space. The
applications ran from December 1, 1984 to February 1, 1985 and
resulted in 114 nominees. A review of the group was accomplished
in June 1985 and on July 1 Mc Auliffe was announced as one of 10
finalists in the programme.

Christa McAuliffe was selected as the primary candidate for the
NASA Teacher in Space Project on July 19, 1985.

Christa McAuliffe was scheduled to teach two lessons from the
space shuttle. She was part of the NASA Teacher in Space project,
selected as its primary candidate in 1985. She won out over 11,500
applicants; NASA officials were reportedly especially impressed
with her course on "The American Woman" which she had developed
and taught.
Barbara Morgan was the backup "Teacher in Space" who also
trained with NASA in the astronaut training program.

Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy

Christa McAuliffe was a payload specialist on STS 51-L which was
launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11:38:00 EST
on January 28, 1986. The crew on board the Orbiter Challenger
included the spacecraft commander, Mr. F.R. Scobee, the pilot,
Commander M.J. Smith (USN), three mission specialists, Dr. R.E.
McNair, Lieutenant Colonel E.S. Onizuka (USAF), and Dr. J.A.
Resnik, and fellow civilian payload specialist, Mr. G.B. Jarvis.
The STS 51-L crew died on January 28, 1986 when Challenger
exploded after launch.

When Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff, millions of
horrified schoolchildren and adults were watching from schools,
homes and offices worldwide.
Her husband Steve and their two children, Scott and Caroline,
survive her.

Christa McAuliffe's alma mater, Framingham State College,
established an education center in her honour, the
McAuliffe/Challenger Center.

Many schools and scholarships have been named in honour of Christa
McAuliffe.

Did you know?

* Barbara Morgan, the back up "Teacher in Space" in
1985 became
the first teacher in space in 2007.

* The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord,
New Hampshire and the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center in
Pleasant Grove, Utah are named in her memory, as are asteroid 3352
McAuliffe and the McAuliffe crater on the Moon.